The glyoxalase system of malaria parasites: implications for cell biology and general glyoxalase research
Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium have developed sophisticated mechanisms to benefit from the nutrient-rich environments of their hosts. For example, by hiding in red blood cells, they found a secure way to tap into the glucose supply of vertebrates. The high-power metabolism of Plasmodium l...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
15 February 2011
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| In: |
Seminars in cell & developmental biology
Year: 2011, Volume: 22, Issue: 3, Pages: 262-270 |
| ISSN: | 1096-3634 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.semcdb.2011.02.003 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2011.02.003 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084952111000164 
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| Author Notes: | Miriam Urscher, Romy Alisch, Marcel Deponte |
| Summary: | Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium have developed sophisticated mechanisms to benefit from the nutrient-rich environments of their hosts. For example, by hiding in red blood cells, they found a secure way to tap into the glucose supply of vertebrates. The high-power metabolism of Plasmodium leads not only to a significantly increased glucose consumption of infected erythrocytes, but also to an elevated production of d-lactate from methylglyoxal. The latter substance is a harmful by-product from glycolysis that is detoxified by the ubiquitous glyoxalase system. This system consists of reduced glutathione and two enzymes, the glyoxalases 1 and 2. Inhibition of the glyoxalases in the host/parasite unit is expected to be highly detrimental to the parasite. Moreover, by studying Plasmodium isozymes, physiological functions of the system beyond methylglyoxal conversion became prima facie obvious: (i) the two different active sites of glyoxalase 1 as well as the existence of (insular) glyoxalases in the apicoplast point to alternative substrates and metabolic pathways. (ii) The allostery of glyoxlase 1 and the monomer-dimer equilibrium of glyoxalase 2 suggest novel regulatory features of these enzymes. Here we review the current knowledge on the glyoxalase systems of the host/parasite unit, discuss their potential as drug target and summarize new hypotheses on glyoxalases with respect to general cell biology. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 01.12.2022 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1096-3634 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.semcdb.2011.02.003 |